ORIGIN

Bright Quandary: Colorado Orange 1973 BMW 3.0CS

This 1973 BMW 3.0CS coupe makes a statement in Colorado Orange, a period color that we have never seen in person on the model. The brighter Inka Orange looks amazing on the CSL cars, and Colorado is awesome on early 2002s, but we are still trying to decide whether our ideal driver CS at this price point would be this over the many other colors that look so great on this car. The technical aspects of the car sound terrific, anchored by a 3.5L swap, manual transmission, and our favorite 16″ Alpina wheels. Find it listed just last night here on Craigslist in Santa Monica, Calfiornia for $18k/offer. Special thanks to BaT reader for this submission!

We sometimes like red cars for their ability to make lights and lenses hide. This one has the same effect on the front turn signals and US-spec side markers. The car wears a recent California rear plate, and it isn’t stated how long it has been in the state or with the current owner. It is said to have been restored five years ago and have no rust.

The interior is nicely redone with a wooden Nardi what we often see in the model. We also found the car here on the E9 Registry and here in Hemmings at the same price with more photos, which state that it has air conditioning.

The engine is said to have come from a 6-series coupe. This is a good upgrade for the standard CS that would have had twin carburetors, as it now has fuel injection, more displacement, and more power.

An orange CS coupe listed on Halloween… how did we miss that one? It sounds like the Hemmings ad has been running since the summer, but this is the first time we have seen in on Craigslist. We assume somebody has seen this car in Santa Monica if it gets driven. Anyone have personal experience to share?